After months of construction, 15th Avenue is finally open for business! It's a brunch restaurant that specializes in "bistro modern dining." (Note that their menu is still changing because they're in soft opening right now.) They're only open until 4:00PM, but since I ended work at 3:00PM today for the long weekend, Minji, Daniel, and I managed to get in there by 3:15PM for a super-late brunch (frankly, it was almost a linner at this point, but potato, potahto).
Truffle fries
We started with the truffle fries to share since Minji was craving them, and who am I to say no to truffle fries? They were honestly pretty perfect — the fries themselves are super crispy and perfectly golden on the outside, but delightfully fluffy on the inside without being overly starchy. (They do suspiciously remind me of Costco fries, actually. Which might be my favourite fast food fry out there.) The truffle and parmesan flavours are prominent, and the truffle aioli is delicious. However, the portion size definitely does not merit a $12 price tag. So, unless you're with a pregnant friend who begs you to share truffle fries with her, I would say the truffle fries aren't worth it, as delicious as they are.
Beef Bourguignon and Confit de Canard Eggs Benedict
Minji and I decided to split the beef bourguignon and confit de canard eggs Benedict because we couldn't decide on which one we wanted to try more. After tasting both, though, we agreed that the beef was significantly better than the duck. They're both served with poached eggs and hollandaise on English muffins, but the beef bourguignon, which has red wine jus and horseradish aioli, was perfectly tender and flavourful. The duck confit's texture was moist and juicy, but was noticeably under-seasoned — to the point where neither of us could taste any duck flavour at all. It was the first time in a long time that I really wanted to add salt to my dish. It's served with Bosc pears, but I only found two small pieces on mine and they lacked any sweetness so the whole thing ended up being extremely bland. I thought it was just me, but Minji said the same thing. (To be fair, our server did ask if we needed salt, pepper, or ketchup. I declined because I believe a dish at a restaurant like this should be served exactly as the chef intends it to be tasted.) Not sure how the other Benedicts fare, but I'd say go for the beef bourguignon — it's delicious and the most unique option on the menu. Oh, it's also worth noting that the Benedicts are currently served with their regular fries — not home fries, as it says on the menu.
15th's French toast
We started with the truffle fries to share since Minji was craving them, and who am I to say no to truffle fries? They were honestly pretty perfect — the fries themselves are super crispy and perfectly golden on the outside, but delightfully fluffy on the inside without being overly starchy. (They do suspiciously remind me of Costco fries, actually. Which might be my favourite fast food fry out there.) The truffle and parmesan flavours are prominent, and the truffle aioli is delicious. However, the portion size definitely does not merit a $12 price tag. So, unless you're with a pregnant friend who begs you to share truffle fries with her, I would say the truffle fries aren't worth it, as delicious as they are.
Minji and I decided to split the beef bourguignon and confit de canard eggs Benedict because we couldn't decide on which one we wanted to try more. After tasting both, though, we agreed that the beef was significantly better than the duck. They're both served with poached eggs and hollandaise on English muffins, but the beef bourguignon, which has red wine jus and horseradish aioli, was perfectly tender and flavourful. The duck confit's texture was moist and juicy, but was noticeably under-seasoned — to the point where neither of us could taste any duck flavour at all. It was the first time in a long time that I really wanted to add salt to my dish. It's served with Bosc pears, but I only found two small pieces on mine and they lacked any sweetness so the whole thing ended up being extremely bland. I thought it was just me, but Minji said the same thing. (To be fair, our server did ask if we needed salt, pepper, or ketchup. I declined because I believe a dish at a restaurant like this should be served exactly as the chef intends it to be tasted.) Not sure how the other Benedicts fare, but I'd say go for the beef bourguignon — it's delicious and the most unique option on the menu. Oh, it's also worth noting that the Benedicts are currently served with their regular fries — not home fries, as it says on the menu.
No meal would be complete without dessert. So, obviously, we had to get the French toast. 15th Avenue's version is a HK-style brick toast with Biscoff spread and maple beurre monté, and then deep-fried, topped with icing sugar and fresh berries, and served with a side of maple syrup. For $18, we definitely thought it was going to be bigger, but it was very, very, very delicious. I'm not sure how much fat and sugar it has in it, but it's definitely guilt-inducing — and I shared it with two other people. (Still, it's not as much of a monster as the French toast at Pears which even is thicker, contains custard, and comes served sizzling in oil. Had to take a 45-minute walk right after that one.) Overall, brunch at 15th Avenue was delightful and our server was excellent — super nice, attentive, efficient, and patient (we had a 15-month-old with us, and we ended up staying 30 minutes after their official closing time and they never once rushed us out) — but it is definitely pricey for what it is. For three mains and two shareables with no drinks, we each ended up paying $45 after tax and tip. As with most restaurants in Downtown Markham, I would come back for a special occasion, but it's a bit too expensive for regular outings.
15th Avenue
169 Enterprise Blvd., Unit 103
Markham, ON L6G 1B3
(905) 305-1885
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